

[Federal Register: January 23, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 14)]
[Notices]               
[Page 3586-3595]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23ja06-107]                         

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-53126; File No. SR-NYSE-2005-93]

 
Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange, Inc; 
Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change to Rule 431 (``Margin 
Requirements'') and Rule 726 (``Delivery of Options Disclosure Document 
and Prospectus'') To Expand the Products Eligible for Customer 
Portfolio Margining and Cross-Margining

January 13, 2006.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(the ``Exchange Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is 
hereby given that on December 29, 2005, the New York Stock Exchange, 
Inc. (``NYSE'' or the ``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and 
Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') the proposed rule change as 
described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared 
by the Exchange. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit 
comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The NYSE is filing with the Commission proposed amendments to NYSE 
Rule 431 (``Margin Requirements'') that would expand the scope of 
products that are eligible for treatment as part of the Commission's 
approved Portfolio Margin Pilot Program (the ``Pilot'').\3\ Amendments 
to Rule 726 (``Options Disclosure Document'') also are proposed to 
include the Commission approved products on the disclosure document 
required to be furnished to customers pursuant to this rule. The text 
of the proposed rule change is below. Additions are in italics. 
Deletions are in brackets.
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    \3\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 52031 (July 14, 
2005), 70 FR 42130 (July 21, 2005), (SR-NYSE-2002-19). On July 14, 
2005, the Commission approved on a Pilot Basis expiring July 31, 
2007, amendments to Exchange Rule 431 to permit the use of a 
prescribed risk-based margin requirement (``portfolio margin'') for 
certain specified products as an alternative to the strategy based 
margin requirements currently required in section (a) through (f) of 
the Rule. Amendments to Rule 726 were also approved to require 
disclosure to, and written acknowledgement from, customers in 
connection with the use of portfolio margin. See NYSE Information 
Memo 05-56, dated August 18, 2005 for additional information.
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* * * * *
Margin Requirements
    Rule 431. (a) through (f) unchanged.

Portfolio Margin and Cross-Margin [for Index Options]

    (g) As an alternative to the [``strategy'' based] ``strategy-
based'' margin requirements set forth in sections [paragraphs] (a) 
through (f) of this Rule, member organizations may elect to apply the 
portfolio margin requirements set forth in this section (g) to [margin 
for] (1) listed, broad-based U.S. index options, index warrants and 
underlying instruments and (2) listed security futures contracts \4\ 
and listed single stock options, (See section (g)(6)(C)(1)). [(as 
defined below) in accordance with the portfolio margin requirements set 
forth in this Rule.]
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    \4\ For purposes of this section of the Rule, the term 
``security future'' utilizes the definition at section 3(a)(55) of 
the Exchange Act, excluding narrow-based security indices.
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    In addition, member organizations, provided they are a Futures 
Commission Merchant (``FCM'') and are either a clearing member of a 
futures clearing organization or have an affiliate that is a clearing 
member of a futures clearing organization, are permitted under this 
section (g) to combine an eligible participant's [a customer's] related 
instruments [(] as defined in section (g)(2)(C), [below) and] with 
listed, broad-based U.S. index options, index warrants and underlying 
instruments and compute a margin requirement for such combined products 
[(``cross margin'')] on a portfolio margin basis[.](``cross-margin''). 
Member organizations must confine cross-margin positions to a portfolio 
margin account dedicated exclusively to cross-margining.
    The portfolio margin and cross-margining provisions of this Rule 
shall not apply to Individual Retirement Accounts (``IRAs'').
    (1) Member organizations must [will be expected to] monitor the 
risk of portfolio margin accounts and maintain a written risk analysis 
methodology for assessing the potential risk to the member 
organization's capital over a specified range of possible market 
movements of positions maintained in such accounts. The risk analysis 
methodology shall specify the computations to be made, the frequency of 
computations, the records to be reviewed and maintained, and the 
person(s) [position(s)] within the organization responsible for the 
risk function. This risk analysis methodology shall be made available 
to the Exchange upon request. In performing the risk analysis of 
portfolio margin accounts required by this Rule, each member 
organization shall include the following in the written risk analysis 
methodology:
    (A) Procedures and guidelines for the determination, review and 
approval of credit limits to each eligible participant, [customer,] and 
across all eligible participants, [customers,] utilizing a portfolio 
margin account.
    (B) Procedures and guidelines for monitoring credit risk exposure 
to the member organization, including intra-day credit risk, related to 
portfolio margin accounts.
    (C) Procedures and guidelines for the use of stress testing of 
portfolio margin accounts in order to monitor market risk exposure from 
individual accounts and in the aggregate.
    (D) Procedures providing for the regular review and testing of 
these risk analysis procedures by an independent unit such as internal 
audit or other comparable group.
    (2) Definitions.--For purposes of this section [paragraph] (g), the 
following terms shall have the meanings specified below:
    (A) The term ``listed option'' [shall] means any option traded on a 
registered national securities exchange or

[[Page 3587]]

automated facility of a registered national securities association.
    (B) [(F)] The term ``underlying instrument'' means long and short 
positions in an exchange traded fund or other fund product registered 
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, that holds the same 
securities, and in the same proportion, as contained in a broad-based 
index on which options are listed. The term ``underlying instrument'' 
shall not be deemed to include[,] futures contracts, options on futures 
contracts, underlying stock baskets, or unlisted instruments.
    (C) [(E]) The term ``related instrument'' within an option class or 
product group means futures contracts and options on futures contracts 
covering the same underlying instrument.
    (D) [(B)] The term ``options class'' refers to all options 
contracts covering the same underlying instrument.
    (E) [(C)] The term ``portfolio'' means any eligible product, as 
defined in section (g)(6)(C)(1), [options of the same options class] 
grouped with their underlying instruments and related instruments.
    (F) [(D)] The term ``option series'' relates to listed options and 
means all option contracts of the same type (either a call or a put) 
and exercise style, covering the same underlying instrument with the 
same exercise price, expiration date, and number of underlying units.
    (G) The term ``product group'' means two or more portfolios of the 
same type (see table in section [sub-paragraph] (g)(2) [(H)] (I) below) 
for which it has been determined by Rule 15c3-1a under the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 that a percentage of offsetting profits may be 
applied to losses at the same valuation point.
    (H) For purposes of portfolio margin and cross-margin the term 
``equity'', as defined in section (a)(4) of this Rule, includes the 
market value of any long or short option positions held in an eligible 
participant's account.
    (I) [(H)] The term ``theoretical gains and losses'' means the gain 
and loss in the value of individual eligible products [option series] 
and related instruments at 10 equidistant intervals (valuation points) 
ranging from an assumed movement (both up and down) in the current 
market value of the underlying instrument. The magnitude of the 
valuation point range shall be as follows: \5\ \6\
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    \5\ In accordance with section [sub-paragraph] (b)(1)(i)(B) of 
Rule 15c3-1a (Appendix A to Rule 15c3-1) under the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934, 17 CFR 240.15c3-1a(b)(1)(i)(B).
    \6\ See footnote above.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Up/down
                                                             market move
                       Portfolio type                        (high & low
                                                              valuation
                                                               points)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Listed Security Futures Contract and Listed Single Stock          +/-15%
 Option....................................................
Non-High Capitalization, Broad-based U.S. Market Index            +/-10%
 Option....................................................
High Capitalization, Broad-based U.S. Market Index Option..      +6%/-8%
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (3) Approved Theoretical Pricing Models.--Theoretical pricing 
models must be approved by a Designated Examining Authority and 
reviewed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (``The Commission'') 
in order to qualify. Currently, the theoretical model utilized by [The] 
the Options Clearing Corporation (``[The] OCC'')[,] is the only model 
qualified pursuant to [The] the Commission's Net Capital Rule. All 
member organizations [participating in the pilot program] shall obtain 
their theoretical values from [The] the OCC.
    (4) Eligible Participants.--The application of the portfolio margin 
provisions of this section [paragraph] (g), including cross-margining, 
is limited to the following:
    (A) any broker or dealer registered pursuant to Section 15 of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934;
    (B) any member of a national futures exchange to the extent that 
listed index options hedge the member's index futures; and
    (C) any other person or entity not included in sections (g)(4)(A) 
and [through] (g)(4)(B) above that has or establishes, and maintains, 
equity of at least five [5] million dollars. For purposes of this 
equity requirement, all securities and futures accounts carried by the 
member organization for the same eligible participant [customer] may be 
combined provided ownership across the accounts is identical. A 
guarantee pursuant to section [paragraph] (f)(4) of this Rule is not 
permitted for purposes of the minimum equity requirement. For those 
accounts that are solely limited to listed security futures contracts 
and listed single stock options, the five million dollar equity 
requirement shall be waived.
    (5) Opening of Accounts.
    (A) Member organizations must notify and receive approval from the 
Exchange prior to establishing a portfolio margin or cross-margin 
methodology for eligible participants.
    (B) [(A)] Only eligible participants [customers] that have been 
approved for options transactions and approved to engage in uncovered 
short option contracts pursuant to Exchange Rule 721, are permitted to 
utilize a portfolio margin account.
    (C) [(B)] On or before the date of the initial transaction in a 
portfolio margin account, a member organization shall:
    (1) [(i)] furnish the eligible participant [customer] with a 
special written disclosure statement describing the nature and risks of 
portfolio margining and cross-margining which includes an 
acknowledgement for all portfolio margin account owners to sign, and an 
additional acknowledgement for owners that also engage in cross-
margining to sign, attesting that they have read and understood the 
disclosure statement, and agree to the terms under which a portfolio 
margin account and the cross-margin account respectively, are provided 
(see Exchange Rule 726 (d)), and (2) [(ii)] obtain the signed 
acknowledgement(s) noted above from the eligible participant [customer] 
(both of which are required for cross-margining eligible participants 
[customers]) and record the date of receipt.
    (6) Establishing Account and Eligible Positions.
    (A) [(1)] Portfolio Margin Account. For purposes of applying the 
portfolio margin requirements [provided] prescribed in this [paragraph] 
section (g), member organizations are to establish and utilize a 
specific securities margin account, or sub-account of a margin account, 
clearly identified as a portfolio margin account that is separate from 
any other securities account carried for an eligible participant [a 
customer].
    (B) [(2)] Cross-Margin Account. For purposes of combining related 
instruments [and] with listed, broad-based U.S. index options, index 
warrants, and underlying instruments, and applying the portfolio margin 
requirements, member[s] organizations are to establish [and utilize a 
portfolio margin account, clearly identified as] a cross-margin 
account[,] that is separate from any other securities account or 
portfolio margin account carried for an eligible participant. [a 
customer.]

[[Page 3588]]

    A margin deficit in either the portfolio margin account or the 
cross-margin account of an eligible participant [a customer] may not be 
considered as satisfied by excess equity in the other account. Funds 
and/or securities must be transferred to the deficient account and a 
written record created and maintained.
    (C) [(A)] Portfolio Margin Account--Eligible [Positions] Products
    (1) For eligible participants as described in sections (g)(4)(A) 
through (g)(4)(C), [(i) A] a transaction in, or transfer of, [a listed, 
broad-based U.S. index option or index warrant] an eligible product may 
be effected in the portfolio margin account. Eligible products under 
this section consist of:
    (i) a listed, broad-based U.S. index option or index warrant and 
underlying instrument.
    (ii) a listed security futures contract or listed single stock 
option.
    (2) [(ii)] A transaction in, or transfer of, an underlying 
instrument may be effected in the portfolio margin account provided a 
position in an offsetting listed, broad-based U.S. index option or 
index warrant is in the account or is established in the account on the 
same day.
    (3) A transaction in, or transfer of, a listed security futures 
contract or listed single stock option may also be effected in the 
portfolio margin account.
    (4) Any long position or any short position in any eligible product 
that is no longer part of a hedge strategy must be transferred from the 
portfolio margin account to the appropriate securities account within 
ten business days, subject to any applicable margin requirement, unless 
the position becomes part of a hedge strategy again. Member 
organizations must monitor portfolio margin accounts for possible abuse 
of this provision.
    [(iii) If, in the portfolio margin account, the listed, broad-based 
U.S. index option or index warrant position offsetting an underlying 
instrument position ceases to exist and is not replaced within ten 
business days, the underlying instrument position must be transferred 
to a regular margin account, subject to initial Regulation T and 
margined according to the other provisions of this Rule. Member 
organizations will be expected to monitor portfolio margin accounts for 
possible abuse of this provision.
    (iv) In the event that fully paid for long options and/or index 
warrants are the only positions contained within a portfolio margin 
account, such long positions must be transferred to a securities 
account other than a portfolio margin account or cross-margin account 
within 10 business days, subject to the margin required, unless the 
status of the account changes such that it is no longer composed solely 
of fully paid for long options and/or index warrants.]
    (D)[(B)] Cross-Margin Account--Eligible [Positions] Products
    (1) For eligible participants, as described in sections (g)(4)(A) 
through (g)(4)(C), a transaction in, or transfer of, an eligible 
product may be effected in the cross-margin account.
    (2) [(i)] A transaction in, or transfer of, a related instrument 
may be effected in the cross-margin account provided a position in an 
offsetting eligible product [listed, U.S. broad-based index option, 
index warrant or underlying instrument] is in the account or is 
established in the account on the same day.
    (3) Any long position or any short position in any eligible product 
that is no longer part of a hedge strategy must be transferred from the 
cross-margin account to the appropriate securities account or futures 
account within ten business days, subject to any applicable margin 
requirement, unless the position becomes part of a hedge strategy 
again. Member organizations must monitor cross-margin accounts for 
possible abuse of this provision.
    [(ii) If the listed, U.S. broad-based index option, index warrant 
or underlying instrument position offsetting a related instrument 
ceases to exist and is not replaced within ten business days, the 
related instrument position must be transferred to a futures account 
and margined accordingly. Member organizations will be expected to 
monitor cross-margin accounts for possible abuse of this provision.
    (iii) In the event that fully paid for long options and/or index 
warrants (securities) are the only positions contained within a cross-
margin account, such long positions must be transferred to a securities 
account other than a portfolio margin account or cross margin account 
within 10 business days, subject to the margin required, unless the 
status of the account changes such that it is no longer composed solely 
of fully paid for long options and/or index warrants.]
    (7) Initial and Maintenance Margin Required.--The amount of margin 
required under this section [paragraph] (g) for each portfolio shall be 
the greater of:
    (A) the amount for any of the 10 equidistant valuation points 
representing the largest theoretical loss as calculated pursuant to 
section [paragraph] (g)(8) below, or
    (B) $.375 for each contract [listed index option] and related 
instrument multiplied by the contract's or instrument's multiplier, not 
to exceed the market value in the case of long positions in eligible 
products. [listed options and options on futures contracts.]
    (C) Account guarantees pursuant to section [paragraph] (f)(4) of 
this Rule are not permitted for purposes of meeting initial and 
maintenance margin requirements.
    (8) Method of Calculation.
    (A) Long and short contracts, [positions in listed options,] 
including underlying instruments and related instruments, are to be 
grouped [by option class; each option class group being] as a 
``portfolio.''[.] Each portfolio is categorized as one of the portfolio 
types specified in section [sub-paragraph] (g)(2)(I) [(H)] above.
    (B) For each portfolio, theoretical gains and losses are calculated 
for each position as specified in section [sub-paragraph] (g)(2)(I) 
[(H)] above. For purposes of determining the theoretical gains and 
losses at each valuation point, member organizations shall obtain and 
utilize the theoretical values of eligible products as described in 
this section [a listed index option, underlying instrument or related 
instrument] rendered by an approved [a] theoretical pricing model. 
[that, in accordance with sub-paragraph (b)(1)(i)(B) of Rule 15c3-1a 
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, qualifies for purposes of 
determining the amount to be deducted in computing net capital under a 
portfolio based methodology.]
    (C) Offsets. Within each portfolio, theoretical gains and losses 
may be netted fully at each valuation point.
    Offsets between portfolios within eligible product groups, as 
described in section (g)(2)(I), [the High Capitalization, Broad-based 
Index Option product group and the Non-High Capitalization, Broad-based 
Index Option product group] may then be applied as permitted by Rule 
15c3-1a under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
    (D) After applying the [Offsets] offsets above, the sum of the 
greatest loss from each portfolio is computed to arrive at the total 
margin required for the account (subject to the per contract minimum).
    (9) Portfolio Margin Minimum Equity Call [Equity Deficiency .--]
    (A) If, at any time, the equity in the portfolio margin or cross-
margin account of an eligible participant, as described in section 
(g)(4)(C), declines below the [5] five million dollar minimum equity 
required, [under sub-paragraph (4)(D) of this paragraph (g)] and is not 
restored to at least [5] five million dollars within three [(3)] 
business days (T+3) by a deposit of

[[Page 3589]]

funds and/or securities, [;] member organizations are prohibited from 
accepting opening orders starting on T+4, except that opening orders 
entered for the purpose of hedging existing positions may be accepted 
if the result would be to lower margin requirements. This prohibition 
shall remain in effect until equity of five [5] million dollars is 
established. For those accounts that are solely limited to security 
futures contracts and single stock options, the five million dollar 
equity requirement shall be waived.
    (B) Member organizations will not be permitted to deduct any 
portfolio margin minimum equity call amount from Net Capital in lieu of 
collecting the minimum equity required.
    (10) [(11)] Portfolio Margin Maintenance Call [Additional Margin. 
--]
    (A) If at any time, the equity in the [any] portfolio margin or 
cross-margin account of an eligible participant, as described in 
sections (g)(4)(A) through (g)(4)(C), is less than the margin required, 
the eligible participant [customer] may deposit additional margin or 
establish a hedge to meet the margin requirement within [one] three 
business days [(T+1)] (T+3). During the three business day period, 
member organizations are prohibited from accepting opening orders, 
except that opening orders entered for the purpose of hedging existing 
positions may be accepted if the result would be to lower margin 
requirements. In the event an eligible participant [a customer] fails 
to hedge existing positions or deposit additional margin within [one] 
three business days, the member organization must liquidate positions 
in an amount sufficient to, at a minimum, lower the total margin 
required to an amount less than or equal to the account equity. 
[Paragraph (f)(7) of this Rule--Practice of Meeting Regulation T Margin 
Calls by Liquidation Prohibited shall not apply to portfolio margin 
accounts. However, member organizations will be expected to monitor 
portfolio margin and cross-margin accounts for possible abuse of this 
provision.]
    (B) If the portfolio margin maintenance call is not met by the 
close of business T+1, member organizations will be required to deduct 
from Net Capital the amount of the call until such time the call is 
satisfied.
    (C) Member organizations will not be permitted to deduct any 
portfolio margin maintenance call amount from Net Capital in lieu of 
collecting the margin required.
    (11) [(10)] Determination of Value for Margin Purposes.--For the 
purposes of this section [paragraph] (g), all eligible products [listed 
index options] and related instrument positions shall be valued at 
current market prices. Account equity for the purposes of this section 
[paragraph] (g) shall be calculated separately for each portfolio 
margin or cross-margin account. [by adding the current market value of 
all long positions, subtracting the current market value of all short 
positions, and adding the credit (or subtracting the debit) balance in 
the account.]
    (12) Net Capital Treatment of Portfolio Margin and Cross-Margin 
Accounts.
    (A) No member organization that requires margin in any eligible 
participant [customer] account pursuant to section [paragraph] (g) of 
this Rule shall permit [gross] the aggregate eligible participant 
[customer] portfolio margin and cross-margin initial and maintenance 
requirements to exceed [1,000 percent] ten times [of] its net capital 
for any period exceeding three business days. The member organization 
shall, beginning on the fourth business day, cease opening new 
portfolio margin and cross-margin accounts until compliance is 
achieved.
    (B) If, at any time, a member organization's [gross] aggregate 
eligible participant [customer] portfolio margin and cross-margin 
requirements exceed [1,000 percent] ten times [of] its net capital, the 
member organization shall immediately transmit telegraphic or facsimile 
notice of such deficiency to the principal office of the Securities and 
Exchange Commission in Washington, DC, [450 Fifth Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20549; to] the district or regional office of the 
Securities and Exchange Commission for the district or region in which 
the member organization maintains its principal place of business; and 
to the New York Stock Exchange. [its Designated Examining Authority.]
    (13) Day Trading Requirements.--The requirements of section [sub-
paragraph] (f)(8)(B) of this Rule--Day-Trading shall not apply to 
portfolio margin accounts or [including] cross-margin accounts.
    (14) Cross-Margin Accounts--Requirements to Liquidate
    (A) A member is required immediately either to liquidate, or 
transfer to another broker-dealer eligible to carry cross-margin 
accounts, all eligible participant [customer] cross-margin accounts 
that contain positions eligible for cross-margining [in futures and/or 
options on futures] if the member is:
    (1) [(i)] insolvent as defined in section 101 of title 11 of the 
United States Code, or is unable to meet its obligations as they 
mature;
    (2) [(ii)] the subject of a proceeding pending in any court or 
before any agency of the United States or any State in which a 
receiver, trustee, or liquidator for such debtor has been appointed;
    (3) [(iii)] not in compliance with applicable requirements under 
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or rules of the Securities and 
Exchange Commission or any self-regulatory organization with respect to 
financial responsibility or hypothecation of eligible participant's 
[customer's] securities; or
    (4) [(iv)] unable to make such computations as may be necessary to 
establish compliance with such financial responsibility or 
hypothecation rules.
    (B) Nothing in this section [paragraph] (14) shall be construed as 
limiting or restricting in any way the exercise of any right of a 
registered clearing agency to liquidate or cause the liquidation of 
positions in accordance with its by-laws and rules.
* * * * *

Delivery of Options Disclosure Document and Prospectus

    Rule 726 (a) through (c) unchanged.
Portfolio Margining and Cross-Margining Disclosure Statement and 
Acknowledgement
    (d) The special written disclosure statement describing the nature 
and risks of portfolio margining and cross-margining, and 
acknowledgement for an eligible participant [customer] signature, 
required by Rule 431(g)(5)(B) shall be in a format prescribed by the 
Exchange or in a format developed by the member organization, provided 
it contains substantially similar information as in the prescribed 
Exchange format and has received the prior written approval of the 
Exchange.

Sample Portfolio Margining and Cross-Margining Risk Disclosure 
Statement To Satisfy Requirements of Exchange Rule 431(g)

Overview of Portfolio Margining
    1. Portfolio margining is a margin methodology that sets margin 
requirements for an account based on the greatest projected net loss of 
all positions in a ``product class'' or ``product group'' as determined 
by an options pricing model using multiple pricing scenarios. These 
pricing scenarios are designed to measure the theoretical loss of the 
positions given changes in both the underlying price and implied 
volatility inputs to the model. Portfolio margining is currently

[[Page 3590]]

limited to product classes and groups of index products relating to 
listed, broad-based market indexes, listed security futures contracts 
and listed single stock options.
    2. The goal of portfolio margining is to set levels of margin that 
more precisely reflects actual net risk. The eligible participant 
[customer] benefits from portfolio margining in that margin 
requirements calculated on net risk are generally lower than 
alternative ``position'' or ``strategy'' based methodologies for 
determining margin requirements. Lower margin requirements allow the 
customer more leverage in an account.
Customers Eligible for Portfolio Margining
    3. To be eligible for portfolio margining, customers (other than 
broker-dealers) must meet the basic standards for having an options 
account that is approved for uncovered writing and must have and 
maintain at all times account net equity of not less than [$5] five 
million dollars, aggregated across all accounts under identical 
ownership at the clearing broker. [The] This identical ownership 
requirement excludes accounts held by the same customer in different 
capacities (e.g., as a trustee and as an individual) and accounts where 
ownership is overlapping but not identical (e.g., individual accounts 
and joint accounts). For those accounts that are solely limited to 
listed security futures contracts and listed single stock options, the 
five million dollar equity requirement shall be waived.
Positions Eligible for a Portfolio Margin Account
    4. All positions in listed security futures contracts, listed 
single stock options, listed, broad-based U.S. market index options 
[and] or index warrants, [listed on a national securities exchange, 
and] exchange traded funds and other products registered under the 
Investment Company Act of 1940 that are managed to track the same index 
that underlies permitted index options, are eligible for a portfolio 
margin account.
Special Rules for Portfolio Margin Accounts
    5. A portfolio margin account may be either a separate account or a 
sub-account of a customer's standard [regular] margin account. In the 
case of a sub-account, equity in the standard [regular] account will be 
available to satisfy any margin requirement in the portfolio margin 
sub-account without transfer to the sub-account.
    6. A portfolio margin account or sub-account will be subject to a 
minimum margin requirement of $.375 multiplied by the contract's 
[index] multiplier for every contract [option contract or index 
warrant] carried long or short in the account. No minimum margin is 
required in the case of eligible exchange traded funds or other 
eligible fund products.
    7. Margin calls in the portfolio margin account or sub-account, 
regardless of whether due to new commitments or the effect of adverse 
market [moves] movements on existing positions, must be met within 
[one] three business days. Any shortfall in aggregate net equity across 
accounts must be met within three business days. Failure to meet a 
portfolio margin maintenance call when due will result in immediate 
liquidation of positions to the extent necessary to reduce the margin 
requirement. Failure to meet [an] a minimum equity call prior to the 
end of the third business day will result in a prohibition on entering 
any opening orders, with the exception of opening orders that hedge 
existing positions, beginning on the fourth business day and continuing 
until such time as the minimum equity requirement is satisfied.
    8. A position in an exchange traded index fund or other eligible 
fund product may not be established in a portfolio margin account 
unless there exists, or there is established on the same day, an 
offsetting position in securities options, or other eligible 
securities. The position(s) [Exchange traded index funds and/or other 
eligible funds] will be transferred out of the portfolio margin account 
and into a standard [regular] securities account subject to any 
applicable margin requirement [initial Regulation T and NYSE Rule 431 
margin] if the offsetting securities options, other eligible securities 
and/or related instruments no longer remain in the account for ten 
business days.
    9. When a broker-dealer carries a standard [regular] cash account 
or margin account for a customer, the broker-dealer is limited by rules 
of the Securities and Exchange Commission and of The Options Clearing 
Corporation (``OCC'') to the extent to which the broker-dealer may 
permit OCC to have a lien against long option positions in those 
accounts. In contrast, OCC will have a lien against all long option 
positions that are carried by a broker-dealer in a portfolio margin 
account, and this could, under certain circumstances, result in greater 
losses to a customer having long option positions in such an account in 
the event of the insolvency of the customer's broker. Accordingly, to 
the extent that a customer does not borrow against long option 
positions in a portfolio margin account or have margin requirements in 
the account against which the long option can be credited, there is no 
advantage to carrying the long options in a portfolio margin account 
and the customer should consider carrying them in an account other than 
a portfolio margin account.
Special Risks of Portfolio Margin Accounts
    10. Portfolio margining generally permits greater leverage in an 
account, and greater leverage creates greater losses in the event of 
adverse market movements.
    11. Because the time limit for meeting margin calls is shorter than 
in a standard [regular] margin account, there is increased risk that a 
customer's portfolio margin account will be liquidated involuntarily, 
possibly causing losses to the customer.
    12. Because portfolio margin requirements are determined using 
sophisticated mathematical calculations and theoretical values that 
must be calculated from market data, it may be more difficult for 
customers to predict the size of future margin calls in a portfolio 
margin account. This is particularly true in the case of customers who 
do not have access to specialized software necessary to make such 
calculations or who do not receive theoretical values calculated and 
distributed periodically by The Options Clearing Corporation.
    13. For the reasons noted above, a customer that carries long 
options positions in a portfolio margin account could, under certain 
circumstances, be less likely to recover the full value of those 
positions in the event of the insolvency of the carrying broker.
    14. Trading of securities index products in a portfolio margin 
account is generally subject to all the risks of trading those same 
products in a standard [regular] securities margin account. Customers 
should be thoroughly familiar with the risk disclosure materials 
applicable to those products, including the booklet entitled 
``Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options''.
    15. Customers should consult with their tax advisers to be certain 
that they are familiar with the tax treatment of transactions in 
securities options [index] and futures products.
    16. The descriptions in this disclosure statement relating to 
eligibility requirements for portfolio margin accounts, and minimum 
equity and margin requirements for those accounts,

[[Page 3591]]

are minimums imposed under Exchange rules. Time frames within which 
margin and equity calls must be met are maximums imposed under Exchange 
rules. Broker-dealers may impose their own more stringent requirements.

Overview Of Cross-Margining

    17. In a cross-margin account, [With cross-margining,] index 
futures, [and] options on index futures are combined with offsetting 
positions in securities index options and underlying instruments, for 
the purpose of computing a margin requirement based on the net risk. 
This generally produces lower margin requirements than if the related 
instruments \7\ and securities products are viewed separately, thus 
providing more leverage in the account.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ For purposes of this Rule, the term ``related instruments,'' 
within an option class or product means futures contracts and 
options on futures contracts covering the same underlying 
instrument.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    18. Cross-margining must be effected [done] in a portfolio margin 
account type. A separate portfolio margin account must be established 
exclusively for cross-margining.
    19. Cross-margining is achieved when [When] index futures and 
options on futures are combined with offsetting positions in index 
options and underlying instruments in a dedicated account, and a 
portfolio margining methodology is applied to them. [, cross-margining 
is achieved.]
Customers Eligible for Cross-Margining
    20. The eligibility requirements for cross-margining are generally 
the same as for portfolio margining. [,] Accordingly, [and] any 
customer eligible for portfolio margining is eligible for cross-
margining.
    21. Members of futures exchanges on which cross-margining eligible 
index contracts are traded are also permitted to carry positions in 
cross-margin accounts without regard to the minimum aggregate account 
equity.
Positions Eligible for Cross-Margining
    22. All securities products eligible for portfolio margining are 
also eligible for cross-margining.
    23. All broad-based U.S. listed market index futures and options on 
index futures traded on a designated contract market subject to the 
jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'') are 
eligible for cross-margining.
Special Rules for Cross-Margining
    24. Cross-margining must be conducted in a portfolio margin account 
type. A separate portfolio margin account must be established 
exclusively for cross-margining. A cross-margin account is a securities 
account, and must be maintained separately from all other securities 
account.
    25. Cross-margining is automatically accomplished with the 
portfolio margining methodology. Cross-margin positions are subject to 
the same minimum margin requirement for every contract, including 
futures contracts.
    26. Margin calls arising in a cross-margin account, and any 
shortfall in aggregate net equity across accounts, must be satisfied 
within the same timeframe, and subject to the same consequences, as in 
a portfolio margin account.
    27. A position in a futures product may not be established in a 
cross-margin account unless there exists, or there is established on 
the same day, an offsetting position in securities options and/or other 
eligible securities. Related instruments will be transferred out of the 
cross-margin account and into a futures account if, for more than ten 
business days and for any reason, the offsetting securities options 
and/or other eligible securities no longer remain in the account. If 
the transfer of related instruments to a futures account causes the 
futures account to be undermargined, a margin call will be issued or 
positions will be liquidated to the extent necessary to eliminate the 
deficit.
    28. Customers participating in cross-margining will be required to 
sign an agreement acknowledging that their positions and property in 
the cross-margin account will be subject to the customer protection 
provisions of Rule 15c3-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 
the Securities Investor Protection Act, and will not be subject to the 
provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act, including segregation of 
funds.
    29. According to the rules of the exchanges, a broker-dealer is 
required to immediately liquidate[,] or, if feasible, transfer to 
another broker-dealer eligible to carry cross-margin accounts, all 
customer cross-margin accounts that contain positions in futures and/or 
options on futures in the event that the carrying broker-dealer becomes 
insolvent.
    30. In signing the agreement referred to in paragraph 28 above, a 
customer also acknowledges that a cross-margin account that contains 
positions in futures and/or options on futures will be immediately 
liquidated, or, if feasible, transferred to another broker-dealer 
eligible to carry cross-margin accounts, in the event that the carrying 
broker-dealer becomes insolvent.
Special Risks of Cross-Margining
    31. Cross-margining must be conducted in a portfolio margin account 
type. Generally, cross-margining and the portfolio margining 
methodology both contribute to provide greater leverage than a standard 
[regular] margin account, and greater leverage creates greater losses 
in the event of adverse market movements.
    32. Since cross-margining must be conducted in a portfolio margin 
account type, the time required for meeting margin calls is shorter 
than in a standard [regular] securities margin account and may be 
shorter than the time ordinarily required by a futures commission 
merchant for meeting margin calls in a futures account. Consequently, 
there is increased risk that a customer's cross-margin positions will 
be liquidated involuntarily, causing possible loss to the customer.
    33. As noted above, cross-margin accounts are securities accounts 
and are subject to the customer protections set-forth in Rule 15c3-3 
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Securities Investor 
Protection Act. Cross-margin positions are not subject to the customer 
protection rules under the segregation provisions of the Commodity 
Exchange Act and the rules of the CFTC adopted pursuant to the 
Commodity Exchange Act.
    34. Trading of index options and futures contracts in a cross-
margin account is generally subject to all the risks of trading those 
same products in a futures account or a standard [regular] securities 
margin account. Customers should be thoroughly familiar with the risk 
disclosure materials applicable to those products, including the 
booklet entitled Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options and 
the risk disclosure document required by the CFTC to be delivered to 
futures customers. Because this disclosure statement does not disclose 
the risks and other significant aspects of trading in futures and 
options, customers should review those materials carefully before 
trading in a cross-margin account.
    35. Customers should bear in mind that the discrepancies in the 
cash flow characteristics of futures and certain options are still 
present even when those products are carried together in a cross-margin 
account. Both futures and options contracts are generally marked to the 
market at least once each business day, but the marks may take place 
with different frequency and at different times within the day. When a 
futures contract is marked to the market, the gain or loss is 
immediately credited to

[[Page 3592]]

or debited from[, respectively,] the customer's account in cash. While 
an increase in the value of a long option contract may increase the 
equity in the account, the gain is not realized until the option is 
sold or exercised. Accordingly, a customer may be required to deposit 
cash in the account in order to meet a variation payment on a futures 
contract even though the customer is in a hedged position and has 
experienced a corresponding (but yet unrealized) gain on a long option. 
Alternatively, a customer who is in a hedged position and would 
otherwise be entitled to receive a variation payment on a futures 
contract may find that the cash is required to be held in the account 
as margin collateral on an offsetting option position.
    36. Customers should consult with their tax advisers to be certain 
that they are familiar with the tax treatment of transactions in index 
products, including tax consequences of trading strategies involving 
both futures and option contracts.
    37. The descriptions in this disclosure statement relating to 
eligibility requirements for cross-margining, and minimum equity and 
margin requirements for cross margin accounts, are minimums imposed 
under Exchange rules. Time frames within which margin and equity calls 
must be met are maximums imposed under Exchange rules. The broker-
dealer carrying a customer's portfolio margin account, including any 
cross-margin account, may impose [its own] more stringent requirements.
* * * * *

Sample Portfolio Margining and Cross-Margining Acknowledgements

Acknowledgement for Customers Utilizing a Portfolio Margin Account--
Cross-Margining And Non-Cross-Margining--
    Rule 15c3-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires that 
a broker or dealer promptly obtain and maintain physical possession or 
control of all fully-paid securities and excess margin securities of a 
customer. Fully-paid securities are securities carried in a cash 
account and margin equity securities carried in a margin or special 
account (other than a cash account) that have been fully paid for. 
Excess margin securities are a customer's margin securities having a 
market value in excess of 140% of the total of the debit balances in 
the customer's non-cash accounts. For the purposes of Rule 15c3-3, 
securities held subject to a lien to secure obligations of the broker-
dealer are not within the broker-dealer's physical possession or 
control. The Commission staff has taken the position that all long 
option positions in a customer's portfolio[-]margining account 
(including any cross-margin account) may be subject to such a lien by 
OCC and will not be deemed fully-paid or excess margin securities under 
Rule 15c3-3.
    The hypothecation rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(Rules 8c-1 and 15c2-1)[,] prohibit broker-dealers from permitting the 
hypothecation of customer securities in a manner that allows those 
securities to be subject to any lien or liens in an amount that exceeds 
the customer's aggregate indebtedness. However, all long option 
positions in a portfolio[-]margining account (including any cross-
margining account) will be subject to OCC's lien, including any 
positions that exceed the customer's aggregate indebtedness. The 
Commission staff has taken a position that would [to] allow customers 
to carry positions in portfolio[-]margining accounts[,] (including any 
cross-margining account) even when those positions exceed the 
customer's aggregate indebtedness. Accordingly, within a portfolio 
margin account or cross-margin account, to the extent that you have 
long option positions that do not operate to offset your aggregate 
indebtedness and thereby reduce your margin requirement, you receive no 
benefit from carrying those positions in your portfolio[-]margin 
account or cross-margin account and incur the additional risk of OCC's 
lien on your long option position(s).
    By signing below the customer affirms that the customer has read 
and understood the foregoing disclosure statement and acknowledges and 
agrees that long option positions in portfolio[-]margining accounts, 
and cross-margining accounts, will be exempted from certain customer 
protection rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission as described 
above and will be subject to a lien by the options clearing corporation 
without regard to such rules.

Customer Name:---------------------------------------------------------

By:--------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:------------------------------------------------------------------

    (Signature/title)
Acknowledgement for Customers Engaged in Cross-Margining
    As disclosed above, futures contracts and other property carried in 
customer accounts with Futures Commission Merchants (``FCM'') are 
normally subject to special protection afforded under the customer 
segregation provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (``CEA'') and the 
rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission adopted pursuant to 
the CEA. These rules require that customer funds be segregated from the 
accounts of financial intermediaries and be accounted for separately. 
However, they do not provide for, and standard [regular] futures 
accounts do not enjoy the benefit of, insurance protecting customer 
accounts against loss in the event of the insolvency of the 
intermediary carrying the accounts.
    As discussed above, cross-margining must be conducted in a 
portfolio margin account, dedicated exclusively to cross-margining and 
cross-margin accounts are not treated as a futures account with an FCM. 
Instead, cross-margin accounts are treated as securities accounts 
carried with broker-dealers. As such, cross-margin accounts are covered 
by Rule 15c3-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which 
protects customer accounts. Rule 15c3-3, among other things, requires a 
broker-dealer to maintain physical possession or control of all fully-
paid and excess margin securities and maintain a special reserve 
account for the benefit of their customers. However, with regard to 
cross-margin accounts, there is an exception to the possession or 
control requirement of Rule 15c3-3 that permits The Options Clearing 
Corporation to have a lien on long positions. This exception is 
outlined in a separate acknowledgement form that must be signed prior 
to or concurrent with this form. Additionally, the Securities Investor 
Protection Corporation (``SIPC'') insures customer accounts against the 
financial insolvency of a broker-dealer in the amount of up to $500,000 
to protect against the loss of registered securities and cash 
maintained in the account for purchasing securities or as proceeds from 
selling securities (although the limit on cash claims is $100,000). 
According to the rules of the exchanges, a broker-dealer is required to 
immediately liquidate[,] or, if feasible, transfer to another broker-
dealer eligible to carry cross-margin accounts, all customer cross-
margin accounts that contain positions in futures and/or options on 
futures in the event that the carrying broker-dealer becomes insolvent.
    By signing below the customer affirms that the customer has read 
and understood the foregoing disclosure statement and acknowledges and 
agrees that: (1) Positions and property in cross-margining accounts, 
will not be subject to the customer protection rules under the customer 
segregation provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act and the

[[Page 3593]]

rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission adopted pursuant to 
the CEA and (2) cross-margining accounts that contain positions in 
futures and/or options on futures will be immediately liquidated, or if 
feasible, transferred to another broker-dealer eligible to carry cross-
margin accounts in the event that the carrying broker-dealer becomes 
insolvent.

Customer Name:---------------------------------------------------------

By:--------------------------------------------------------------------
Date:------------------------------------------------------------------

     (Signature/title)

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements 
concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the proposed rule change and 
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The 
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in 
Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in 
Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such 
statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    Amendments to NYSE Rule 431 (``Margin Requirements'') are proposed 
that would include security futures \8\ and single stock options as 
products eligible for treatment under portfolio margin requirements as 
part of the Portfolio Margin Pilot Program recently approved by the 
Commission. Amendments to Rule 726 (``Delivery of Options Disclosure 
Document and Prospectus'') also are proposed to include the SEC 
approved products on the disclosure document required to be furnished 
to customers pursuant to this rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ For purposes of this filing term ``security futures'' 
utilizes the definition at Section 3(a)(55) of the Exchange Act, 
excluding narrow-based security indices.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

a. Background
    Section 7(a) \9\ of the Exchange Act of 1934 \10\ empowers the 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to prescribe the rules 
and regulations regarding credit that may be extended by broker-dealers 
on securities (Regulation T) to their customers. NYSE Rule 431 
prescribes specific margin requirements that must be maintained in all 
customer accounts, based on the type of securities products held in 
such accounts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78g.
    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In April 1996, the Exchange established a Rule 431 Committee (the 
``Committee'') to assess the adequacy of Rule 431 on an ongoing basis, 
review margin requirements, and make recommendations for change. A 
number of proposed amendments resulting from the Committee's 
recommendations have been approved by the Exchange's Board of Directors 
since the Committee was established. Similarly, the Committee has 
endorsed the proposed amendments discussed below.\11\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \11\ The Committee is composed of several member organizations, 
including Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc., Merrill 
Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith, Inc., Bear Stearns Corp. and Credit 
Suisse First Boston Corp. and several self-regulatory organizations, 
including: the NYSE, the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the 
Options, Clearing Corporation, the American Stock Exchange, the 
Chicago Board of Trade, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the 
National Association of Securities Dealers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. The Pilot
    The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in its 
amendments to Regulation T in 1998 permitted SROs to implement 
portfolio margin rules, subject to SEC approval.\12\ As noted above, on 
July 14, 2005 the Commission approved amendments to Exchange Rules 431 
and 726 to permit, on a two year pilot basis, the use of a prescribed 
risk-based methodology (``Portfolio Margin'') \13\ for certain products 
as an alternative to the strategy or position based margin requirements 
currently required in Rule 431(a) through (f). Exchange member 
organizations may utilize portfolio margin for listed, broad-based U.S. 
index options and index warrants, along with any underlying 
instruments.\14\ These positions are to be margined (either for initial 
or maintenance) in a separate portfolio margin account dedicated 
exclusively for such margin computation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \12\ See Federal Reserve System, ``Securities Credit 
Transactions; Borrowing by Broker and Dealers;'' Regulations G, T, U 
and X; Docket Nos. R-0905, R-0923 and R-0944, 63 FR 2806 (January 
16, 1998).
    \13\ As a pre-condition to permitting portfolio margining, 
member organization are required to establish procedures and 
guidelines to monitor credit risk to the member organization's 
capital, including intra-day credit risk and stress testing of 
portfolio margin accounts. Further, member organizations must 
establish procedures for regular review and testing of these 
required risk analysis procedures (see Rule 431(g)(1)).
    \14\ For purposes of these amendments, the term ``underlying 
instrument,'' means long and short positions in an exchange traded 
fund of other fund product registered under the Investment Company 
Act of 1940, that holds the same securities, and in the same 
proportion, as contained in a broad-based index on which options are 
listed. The term ``underlying instrument'' shall not be deemed to 
include futures contracts, options on futures contracts, underlying 
stock baskets, or unlisted instruments.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

c. Strategy or Positioned-Based Margin Requirements
    Prior to the Pilot, member organizations were subject, pursuant to 
NYSE Rule 431, to strategy or positioned-based margin requirements. 
This methodology applied specific margin percentage requirements as 
prescribed in Rule 431 to each security position and/or strategy, 
either long or short, held in a customer's account, irrespective of the 
fact that all security (e.g., options) prices do not change equally (in 
percentage terms) with a change in the price of the underlying 
security. As discussed in more detail below, when utilizing a portfolio 
margin methodology, offsets are fully realized, whereas under strategy 
or position-based methodology, positions and or groups of positions 
comprising a single strategy are margined independently of each other 
and offsets between them do not efficiently impact the total margin 
requirement.
d. Portfolio Margin Requirements
    Portfolio margining is a margin methodology that sets margin 
requirements for an account based on the greatest projected net loss of 
all positions in a product class or group. The Pilot utilizes a 
Commission approved theoretical options pricing model using multiple 
pricing scenarios to set or determine the risk level.\15\ These 
scenarios are designed to measure the theoretical loss of the positions 
given changes in both the underlying price and implied volatility 
inputs to the model. Accordingly, the margin required is based on the 
greatest loss that would be incurred in a portfolio if the value of its 
components move up or down by a predetermined amount.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ The theoretical options pricing model is used to derive 
position values at each valuation point for the purpose of 
determining the gain or loss. The amount of initial and maintenance 
margin required with respect to a portfolio would be the larger of: 
(1) The greatest loss amount among the valuation calculations; or 
(2) the sum of $.375 for each option and security future in the 
portfolio multiplied by the contract's (e.g. 100 shares per 
contract) or instrument's multiplier. This computation establishes a 
minimum margin requirement to ensure that a certain level of margin 
is required from a customer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Generally, the purpose and benefit of portfolio margining is to 
efficiently set levels of margin that reflect historical moves that 
more precisely reflects actual net risk of all positions in the 
account. A customer benefits from portfolio margining in that margin 
requirements calculated on net position

[[Page 3594]]

risk are generally lower than strategy-based margin methodologies 
currently in place. In permitting margin computation based on actual 
net risk, member organizations are no longer required to compute a 
margin requirement for each individual position or strategy in a 
customer's account (see NYSE Rule 431).
    As discussed in more detail below, utilizing portfolio margin for 
options portfolios and any related instruments enables the portfolio to 
be subjected to certain preset market volatility parameters that 
reflect historical moves in the underlying security thereby assessing 
potential loss in the portfolio in the aggregate. Accordingly, such a 
methodology provides an accurate and realistic assessment of reasonable 
margin requirements.
e. Proposed Amendments
    The Exchange and CBOE received letters in late September 2005 from 
Commission Chairman Christopher Cox asking the SROs to consider 
expanding portfolio margining to a broader universe of products. The 
Commission encouraged the Exchanges to file a rule proposal before 
year-end.\16\ Accordingly, the Exchange is proposing the amendments 
discussed below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \16\ Chairman of the Commission, Christopher Cox, in a letter 
dated September 27, 2005, to William J. Brodsky and John A. Thain, 
the Chief Executive Offices of CBOE and NYSE, respectively, 
encouraged each SRO to file a rule proposal to make portfolio margin 
available to equity options and security futures with the Commission 
by year-end 2005.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

f. Eligible Products/Minimum Equity Requirements
    The proposed amendments to Rule 431 seek to expand the eligible 
products previously approved, provided all products can be priced 
within a prescribed risk-based theoretical pricing methodology. 
Specifically, the proposed amendments will expand the eligible products 
to include security futures as well as listed single stock options. The 
proposed amendments will also permit customers effecting transactions 
in security futures and listed single stock options to do so without 
maintaining the $5 million equity requirement, which is currently 
required under the Pilot for all other eligible products.
g. Valuation Points
    Further, the proposed amendments will establish theoretical prices 
at 10 equidistant valuation points within a range consisting of an 
increase or a decrease of +/-15% \17\ (i.e., +/-3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, and 
15%) in the current market value of the underlying instrument. As 
proposed, the price range for computing a portfolio margin requirement 
is the same parameter required under Appendix A of Rule 15c3-1a \18\ 
under the Exchange Act for computing deductions to a firm's net capital 
for proprietary positions. Currently the only theoretical model 
qualified pursuant to Rule 15c3-1a under the Exchange Act is the 
Theoretical Intermarket Margin System (``TIMS'') administered by The 
Options Clearing Corporation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \17\ The Pilot established valuation points for the following 
eligible products: Non-High Capitalization/Broad-based U.S. Market 
Index Options (+/-10%) and High Capitalization/Broad-based U.S. 
Market Index Options (+6%/-8%).
    \18\ 17 CFR 240.15c3-1a(b)(1)(i)(B). The requirements of this 
rule include, among other things, that any model be non-proprietary, 
approved by a Designated Examining Authority (``DEA'') and available 
on the same terms to all broker-dealers. Referencing to the SEC's 
net capital coupled with DEA approval and SEC review assures 
uniformity across pricing models and that portfolio and cross-margin 
requirements will not vary significantly from firm to firm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

h. Margin Deficiency
    In addition, the proposed amendments will require a member 
organization to deduct from its net capital the amount of any portfolio 
margin maintenance call which is not met by the close of business of 
trade date plus one (T+1).\19\ Member organizations will not be 
permitted to deduct any portfolio margin maintenance call amount from 
net capital in lieu of collecting the required margin.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \19\ Several paragraphs in the proposed rule amendments use the 
term ``portfolio margin maintenance call'' rather than the term 
``portfolio margin maintenance deficiency.'' The proposed rule text 
was intended to measure the time period for a customer to meet a 
margin call or a member to make a deduction in calculating net 
capital from the time of the margin deficiency, not the time of the 
margin call. The Exchange has represented that it will amend the 
proposed rule changes to clarify this technical non-substantive 
change prior to any Commission approval of the proposed rule change. 
Telephone conversation between William Jannace, Director, Rule and 
Interpretive Standards, Member Firm Regulation, NYSE and Randall 
Roy, Branch Chief, and Sheila Swartz, Special Counsel, Division of 
Market Regulation, Commission, on January 13, 2006.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

i. Definitions
    The proposed amendments expand upon the core definition of the term 
``equity'' as defined in section (a)(4) of Rule 431 (see proposed Rule 
431(g)(2)(H) for purposes of portfolio margin and cross-margin to 
include the market value of any long or short option positions held in 
an eligible participant's account. In addition, other non-substantive 
changes and/or modification to other definitions in Rule 431 were made 
in light of the proposed amendments.
j. Disclosure Document and Customer Attestation
    Exchange Rule 726 prescribes requirements for the delivery of 
options disclosure documents concerning the opening of customer 
accounts. As part of the Pilot amendments, members and member 
organizations are required to provide every portfolio margin customer 
with a written risk disclosure statement at or prior to the initial 
opening of a portfolio margin account. The disclosure statement is 
divided into two sections, one dealing with portfolio margining and the 
other with cross-margining. The statement discloses the special risk 
and operation of portfolio margin accounts, including cross-margining, 
and the differences between portfolio margin and strategy-based margin 
requirements. The disclosure statement also addresses who is eligible 
to open a portfolio margin account, the instruments that are allowed, 
and when deposits to meet margin and minimum equity are required.
    In addition, at or prior to the time a portfolio margin account is 
initially opened, members and member organizations are required to 
obtain a signed acknowledgement regarding certain implications of 
portfolio margining (e.g. treatment under Exchange Act Rules 8c-1, 
15c2-1 and 15c3-3) from the customer. Further, prior to providing 
cross-margining, members and member organizations are required to 
obtain a second signed customer acknowledgement relative to the 
segregation treatment for futures contracts and Securities Investor 
Protection Corporation coverage. As proposed, the disclosure document 
required by Rule 726 is being amended to incorporate the approved 
Commission products.
    Finally, the filing includes several minor technical amendments to 
the rules for purposes of clarity and consistency.
2. Statutory Basis
    The statutory basis for this proposed rule change is Section 
6(b)(5) \20\ of the Exchange Act which requires, among other things, 
that the rules of the Exchange are designed to prevent fraudulent and 
manipulative acts and practices, to promote just and equitable 
principles of trade, to foster cooperation and coordination with 
persons engaged in regulating, clearing, settling, processing 
information with respect to, and facilitating transactions in 
securities, to remove impediments to perfect the mechanism of a free 
and

[[Page 3595]]

open market and national market system, and in general to protect 
investors and the public interest. The proposed amendments are 
consistent with this section in that they will better align margin 
requirements with the actual risk of hedged products, will also 
potentially alleviate excess margin calls and potentially reduce the 
risk of forced liquidations of positions in customer accounts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \20\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will 
impose any burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Exchange Act.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others

    The Exchange has neither solicited nor received written comments on 
the proposed rule change.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 
Commission Action

    Within 35 days of the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission may 
designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to 
be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding, or (ii) as to 
which the Exchange consents, the Commission will:
    (A) By order approve such proposed rule change, as amended; or
    (B) Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule 
change should be disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule 
change is consistent with the Exchange Act. Comments may be submitted 
by any of the following methods:

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml.
); or     Send e-mail to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include File 

Number SR-NYSE-2005-93 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-9303.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSE-2005-93. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used. To 
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro/shtml
). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all 

written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are 
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to 
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other 
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the 
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for inspection and 
copying in the Commission's Public Reference Room. Copies of such 
filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the 
principal office of the NYSE. All comments received will be posted 
without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying 
information from submissions. You should submit only information that 
you wish to make available publicly. All submission should refer to 
File Number SR-NYSE-2005-93 and should be submitted on or before 
February 13, 2006.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\21\
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    \21\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-668 Filed 1-20-06; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010-01-P
